The present invention relates to air purifiers. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with an outwardly projecting air purifier comprising an assembly of UV lamps and reflector, allowing the air purifier to be used in air ducts and in other types of ventilation systems.
Indoor Air Quality related problems, often referred to as xe2x80x9cSICK BUILDING SYNDROMESxe2x80x9d, costs the North American economy well over 100 billion dollars each year in health care, absenteeism, lost production time and lost revenue. This problem is compounded by the xe2x80x9cAnthrax scarexe2x80x9d, since anthrax spores (structures whose role is propagation) can be readily transported through the ventilation system of a building.
The human immune system often responds violently when exposed to toxins released by bacteria and molds in ventilation systems, and displays systems commonly called allergies. The microorganisms found in buildings are viruses, bacteria and their components such as endotoxins, and fungi and their metabolic products such as mycotoxins and antigens.
Most environments contain a large variety of bacteria. Health risks increase only when the pathogen bacteria concentration is permitted to amplify in an indoor environment, and these organisms or their by-products become airborne. Legionnaire""s disease, some pneumonias, anthrax, and tuberculosis are airborne infectious diseases caused by bacteria.
Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It is most commonly found in hoofed animals but can also infect humans. The serious forms of human anthrax are inhalation anthrax (often fatal), cutaneous anthrax, and intestinal anthrax. In October 2001, four workers died from inhalation anthrax and an additional 13 developed cutaneous or inhalation disease as a result of intentional terrorist activity. Employers and workers are concerned about possible exposure to Bacillus anthracis in the workplace.
Endotoxins are components of a bacterial cell. More precisely, they are components of the outer membrane of some bacteria. Dangerous levels of airborne endotoxins have been reported in numerous work environments, including offices and laboratories. They can cause fever and malaise, changes in white blood cell counts, and respiratory and gastrointestinal problems.
There are over 100 000 known species of fungi. Microscopic fungi include yeasts and molds. Most fungi produce spores that are carried by the air. The diameter of these spores varies from approximately 1 to 60 microns. Most substances containing carbon, abundant in indoor and outdoor environments, can serve as nutrients for molds. Accumulation of humidity in the indoor environment is the most important factor to be controlled to limit fungal growth.
Some fungi can invade living cells, causing infectious diseases. Several molds produce proteins and glycoproteins that are highly antigenic i.e. capable of producing an immune response, and can cause hypersensitivity diseases or allergies in susceptible individuals. Practically all living organisms contain proteins, glycoproteins and polysaccharides with antigenic potential. Growing molds may additionally produce several volatile organic compounds, some of which are at the origin of the frequently observed characteristic moldy odor.
Of all the hyper sensibility diseases, only hypersensitivity pneumonitis allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic aspergillosis are known as resulting from exposure to airborne antigens.
Water reservoirs and air conditioning units cooling coils where warm water condenses are good growth media for various bacteria fungi or protozoa. Consequently, ventilation system components, particularly some types of humidifiers, can aerosolize droplets from water reservoirs and are therefore of special interest. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis has occurred in individuals when building humidification systems were contaminated.
It is now common knowledge that the energy efficient designs of the 1970xe2x80x2s resulted in the construction of tighter building envelopes having improved insulation, low energy consuming ventilation and having no operable windows. These designs have contributed to an increase in indoor pollutant sources, since these pollutants are no longer sufficiently diluted with fresh air. Additionally, new building materials, products, and furnishing emit a significant number of hazardous chemicals into the air. The resulting situation results in an increase in contaminants circulating through the indoor environment, with insufficient outside air being introduced to dilute these contaminants.
Indoor air quality (IAQ), is a complex issue, much more so than any single environmental issue. There are hundreds of pollutants that effect IAQ and thousands of sources. Research reveals that more than 900 different contaminants are present in indoor environments.
If needs for comfort, health and well-being are not satisfied, building occupants may begin to complain of symptoms which are associated with poor IAQ. Headaches, burning and itching eyes, respiratory difficulties, skin irritation, nausea, congestion, cough, sneezing, and fatigue are some of the more frequent complaints. Complaints of funny odors in the air are usually indicative of poor air quality.
An increasing percentage of the population is becoming more sensitive to a number of chemicals in indoor air, each of which may occur at very low concentrations. The existence of this condition has been identified as xe2x80x9cMultiple Chemical sensitivityxe2x80x9d (MCS) and is currently the subject of chemical research.
According to the EPA, the effects of IAQ problems are often non-specific symptoms rather than clearly defined illnesses. Although they can be vague, the symptoms seem generally worse after a day in the building (office or work place) and may altogether disappear when the occupant leaves the building.
In light of these problems, the importance of efficiently purified air, rid of biological contaminants, becomes readily understandable.
An object of the present invention is to provide an outwardly projecting air purifier.
More specifically, according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an outwardly projecting air purifier to be used in an air duct supporting a longitudinal airflow and comprising:
a support to be positioned within the air duct;
a plurality of UV lamp assemblies longitudinally mounted to said support; each of said UV lamp assemblies including a reflector having a generally parabolic inner surface and a UV lamp so mounted to said reflector that said generally parabolic inner surface reflects UV radiation emitted by said UV lamp in a radial direction; and
a convex deflector element so mounted to said support that the airflow is deflected over said UV lamp assemblies.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an outwardly projecting air purifier to be positioned longitudinally within an air duct supporting an airflow comprising:
a support;
a convex shaped deflector element so mounted to said support as to be located upstream with respect to the airflow;
at least two reflectors having a generally parabolic inner surface mounted to said support; and
at least two UV lamps each being so mounted to a corresponding reflector that UV radiation emitted by said lamps is reflected in a radial direction;
wherein each of said at least two reflectors is so mounted to said support that airflow is deflected by said convex shaped deflector element over said UV lamps.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an outwardly projecting air purifier to be used in an air duct supporting a longitudinal airflow and comprising:
a plurality of adjacently interconnected UV lamp assemblies each including:
a reflector having a generally parabolic inner surface and an outer surface so configured as to be interconnectable with the outer surface of a reflector of an adjacent UV lamp assembly; and
a UV lamp so mounted to said reflector that said generally parabolic inner surface reflects UV radiation emitted by said UV lamp in a radial direction;
a convex deflector element so mounted to said reflectors that the airflow is deflected over said UV lamp assemblies.
It is to be noted that the expression xe2x80x9cair ductxe2x80x9d is to be construed in the present description and appended claims as meaning any passage designed to guide ventilating air.
It is to be noted that the expression xe2x80x9cpluralityxe2x80x9d is to be construed in the present description and appended claims as meaning at least two.
It is to be noted that the expression xe2x80x9cgenerally parabolicxe2x80x9d is to be construed in the present description and appended claims as meaning a generally concave cross-section that would adequately reflect incident radiation thereon in a generally radial direction.
Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.